Ford Explorer vs Subaru Forester: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (September 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $39,500 against $32,185 for the Subaru Forester (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Subaru Forester takes fuel economy (23 MPG combined vs 20 MPG); the Ford Explorer leads on NCAP safety (4.9★ vs 4.8★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $31,489 vs the BASE PLUS at $28,501; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ford Explorer XLT ($31,489) faces the Subaru Forester BASE PLUS ($28,501); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (34.7% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM (27.6% of Subaru Forester listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,104) faces the TOURING ($36,584). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Ford Explorer | Subaru Forester | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| XLTMost popularCheapest | $31,489 | 34.7% | BASE PLUS ES | $24,150 | 2.2% |
| LIMITED | $33,537 | 5.4% | BASE PLUSCheapest | $28,501 | 5.1% |
| TIMBERLINE | $35,795 | 2.7% | PREMIUM BASE | $30,350 | 9.2% |
| ST-LINE | $39,291 | 18.2% | PREMIUMMost popular | $31,038 | 27.6% |
| ACTIVE | $39,470 | 16.6% | SPORT | $32,842 | 11.6% |
| PLATINUM | $44,998 | 6.3% | WILDERNESS | $33,994 | 10.7% |
| STPriciest | $46,104 | 12.7% | LIMITED | $34,480 | 15.1% |
| TREMOR | $55,557 | 2.1% | TOURINGPriciest | $36,584 | 12.5% |
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ford Explorer prices · Subaru Forester prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford Explorer typical | Subaru Forester typical | Difference | Ford Explorer MPG | Subaru Forester MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,163 | $35,192 | Ford Explorer +$9,971 | 19–24 MPG | 26–35 MPG |
| 2025 | $39,500 | $32,185 | Ford Explorer +$7,315 | 20–24 MPG | 26–35 MPG |
| 2024 | $35,197 | $29,320 | Ford Explorer +$5,877 | 20–24 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2023 | $31,969 | $27,894 | Ford Explorer +$4,075 | 20–27 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2022 | $28,484 | $24,998 | Ford Explorer +$3,486 | 19–27 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $23,992 | $22,800 | Ford Explorer +$1,192 | 19–27 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,116 | $21,525 | Ford Explorer +$591 | 19–28 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2019 | $17,495 | $18,995 | Subaru Forester +$1,500 | 18–22 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2018 | $15,995 | $16,867 | Subaru Forester +$872 | 18–22 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2017 | $13,950 | $14,990 | Subaru Forester +$1,040 | 18–22 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2016 | $12,084 | $12,950 | Subaru Forester +$866 | 18–22 MPG | 25–27 MPG |
| 2015 | $9,999 | $10,999 | Subaru Forester +$1,000 | 18–23 MPG | 25–27 MPG |
| 2014 | $9,478 | $9,971 | Subaru Forester +$493 | 18–23 MPG | 24–27 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,299 | $8,450 | Subaru Forester +$151 | 18–23 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,992 | $7,992 | even | 19–23 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,698 | $7,491 | Ford Explorer +$207 | 19–20 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,900 | $6,990 | Subaru Forester +$90 | 15–17 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,723 | $6,290 | Subaru Forester +$567 | 15–17 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $5,995 | $5,495 | Ford Explorer +$500 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $5,033 | $5,995 | Subaru Forester +$962 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2006 | $5,500 | $4,995 | Ford Explorer +$505 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,990 | $5,995 | Subaru Forester +$1,005 | 14–16 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2003 | $4,500 | $4,650 | Subaru Forester +$150 | 15–17 MPG | 21 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (September 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Subaru Forester is cheaper: it typically lists for $32,185 versus $39,500 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, September 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?
The Subaru Forester: its typical rated version returns 23 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Ford Explorer (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford Explorer averages 4.9 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.8 for the Subaru Forester. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?
NHTSA lists an average of 10.4 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 4.8 for the Subaru Forester — an edge for the Subaru Forester. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ford Explorer XLT typically lists for $31,489 vs $28,501 for a Subaru Forester BASE PLUS; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($31,489, 34.7% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM ($31,038, 27.6% of Subaru Forester listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,104) faces the TOURING ($36,584). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/explorer/vs/subaru/forester.
Dig deeper
Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Subaru Forester — live listings & specs Ford Explorer prices by year Subaru Forester prices by year Ford Explorer MPG by year Subaru Forester MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.